Applied Science and Technology, UC Berkeley

Financial Support

 

Financial Support

The Admissions Committee for the Graduate Group in Applied Science & Technology makes every effort to link students with research and teaching appointments at the time of admission. The majority of AS&T students therefore enjoy sustained financial support through a research advisor’s grants and/or other departmental funding sources. Nevertheless, students are strongly encouraged to be vigilant about the health of their funding packages, and to apply for all available fellowships and grants as a safeguard against unexpected loss of research funding or as an additional buffer to sustain their creative and independent work. It is unreasonable to expect research funding to become available simply for being enrolled in the graduate program, just as it is unreasonable to expect re-search funding to continue for an indefinite period. Most federal grants are timed to a maximum of 3 years duration. Please remember that unresolved support problems should be brought to the attention of the SSA and the Head Graduate Advisor immediately, while there is still opportunity to resolve them.

Fellowships

All students are invited to consult the Graduate Division website regularly and repeatedly for information on external and cam-pus-wide fellowships. First-year students are especially urged to apply for National Science Foundation (NSF) Fellowships. Only U.S. citizens and permanent residents are eligible for these, and 4 recommendation letters are required, with a deadline for applications around November 1 each year.

In addition, students should consult their Faculty Research Advisors regarding their eligibility for departmental fellowships, grants, or prizes.

International Student Fellowship Recipients

The Internal Revenue Service (IRS), the U.S. government tax authority, has issued strict regulations regarding the taxation and reporting of payments made to non-United States citizens. As a result, payments made to international students may be subject to U.S. in-come tax and reporting to the IRS. The University has set up an online Tax Compliance System called GLACIER which helps managing tax liability in an efficient and effective way.

To comply with the U.S. tax laws, your U.S. Tax Residency Status must be determined. The Substantial Presence Test is used to determine whether an individual is a Nonresident Alien or Resident Alien for purposes of U.S. tax withholding. The GLACIER online Tax Compliance System will calculate your U.S. Residency Status for Tax Purposes based on the information you provide.
If you are a Nonresident Alien for Tax Purposes, you are subject to special tax withholding and reporting regulations; if you are a Resident Alien for Tax Purposes, you are taxed in the same manner as a U.S. Citizen.

For current information on issues of interest to international students, visit the Berkeley International Office website or call 510-642-2818. For information on disbursements, contact Cal Student Central at 510-664-9181. For fellowship information, contact the Fellowships Office at 510-642-0672.

Fees & Tuition

Fees and tuition, including non-resident tuition, have increased yearly due to state budgetary constraints. The Office of the Registrar is obligated to notify students of any fee or tuition increases as they develop. For information regarding fees and tuition, please refer to the Office of the Registrar’s website.

All registered students are liable for fees. The Office of the Registrar will block a student’s registration unless the fees are paid, either by the student or through some form of financial assistance. Please note that any graduate student appointments paid through campus, any fellowships paid through the campus, and any financial aid packages distributed through the campus will be cancelled if the first installment of fees is not paid on time.

Nonresident Tuition

If you are a U.S. citizen, a permanent resident, or hold an eligible non-immigrant visa, you are expected to establish California residency, so that you will not be liable for Non-resident Tuition any longer than necessary. Plan to spend any vacation time and the summer of your first year in California. If you spend extended periods in other states, the Residence Affairs Office may be skeptical about your claims that you’re planning to make California your home. It may be possible to obtain an exception if you get a summer job in a state other than a state where you’ve already lived for an extended period. If your advisor confirms that your job is an integral part of your education, it may be possible for you to escape the drudgery (!) of a California summer. You should plan to submit an exception letter to the Residence Affairs Office before you begin your job so that you’ll have time to change your plans should your petition be denied.

To initiate the process of establishing residency, consult the Residence Affairs Office, 120 Sproul Hall, (510) 664-9181.

Reduction in Nonresident Tuition
Effective in Fall 1997 for graduate students who have been advanced to candidacy for the doctorate (see Section 5.9), the annual nonresident tuition fee is reduced by 100 percent, subject to the understanding that: (a) a graduate doctoral candidate may receive the reduced nonresident tuition rate for a maximum calendar period of three (3) years; and (b) any such student who continues to be enrolled or who re-enrolls after the three-year period will be charged the full nonresident tuition rate that is in effect at the time.

Tuition for International Students
International students with F-1 or J-1 visas must pay Nonresident tuition during their entire graduate careers. However, doctoral candidates (see Section 5.0) may be eligible for a 100 percent reduction in nonresident tuition for three (3) years after advancement to candidacy. For the most recent information, always consult with the Graduate Division Office to obtain up-to-date changes in policy.

Unfortunately, the AS&T Graduate Group is unable to assure full tuition support for all international students because of limitations on the resources that can be used for this purpose. Nevertheless, every effort is made to limit the tuition liability of students to an affordable amount. Many faculty members have access to industrial or other “discretionary” funds, which they can use to pay either full or partial tuition for their students. Students who are unable to obtain tuition coverage from their Research Advisors may apply for Graduate Student Instructor (GSI) positions. Different departments disperse funds differently, so students are advised to investigate the departmental policies of their Re-search Advisors.

Filing Fee

The “Filing Fee” is a reduced fee for one semester, which may be used by graduate students who have completed all requirements for the degree except for filing the master’s thesis or doctoral dissertation. It is not equivalent to registration. If students wish to use any University services that are supported by registration fees, they must pay those registration fees, otherwise they may pay the Filing Fee. The Filing Fee may only be used once during a student’s career at Berkeley. For further information regarding requirements and regulations for filing fee status, please visit the Graduate Division website.

Graduate Student Instructor (GSI) Position

For the latest updated GSI policy, please consult the Graduate Division website under the topic of “Teaching Appointments Info.” At Berkeley, teaching assistants are given the official title of Graduate Student Instructor (GSI). A full-time (20 hours per week) GSI appointment typically entails responsibility for two discussion or three laboratory sections per week, holding office hours, preparation and grading of assignments and examinations, and other duties as assigned by the faculty member in charge of the course. Since June 2000, GSI appointments have been covered by a collective bargaining agreement with the United Automobile Workers (UAW) union, and are subject to change. The full contract is on the Labor Relations website.

The Graduate Division has set firm eligibility requirements for all GSIs. Graduate students whose first language is not English must meet the university’s language proficiency requirements before being hired as a GSI. Please review carefully the requirements on the GSI Teaching and Resource Center website.

Note: Graduate Council requirements for the preparation of first-time GSIs may be up-dated at any time. A comprehensive list of all Graduate Council requirements for GSI preparation is found at http://gsi.berkeley.edu/faculty-departments/core-gsi-policies/gradcouncil-gsipolicy-excerpt/.

Every first-time GSI should attend the Orientation Conference sponsored by the GSI Teaching and Resource Center held each semester on the Friday before the beginning of classes. First-time international GSIs should also attend the International GSI Orientation Conference, held every Fall Semester on the Thursday prior to the beginning of classes.

By the end of the third week of classes, every first-time GSI must successfully complete an online short course on professional ethics and standards in teaching. The course has been developed and is administered by the GSI Teaching and Resource Center. Instruction will include information on such topics as academic integrity, sexual harassment, teaching students with disabilities, academic freedom, political speech, confidentiality, Title VI, and Title IX. GSIs can register and take the course by going to the GSI Teaching and Resource Center’s website.

First time GSIs must have completed or be enrolled in a 300-series semester-long pedagogy seminar on teaching in the discipline offered by the instructor’s home department. In those departments in which a low number of GSI’s makes it infeasible to offer such a course, the pedagogy seminar may be taken in another department, with the advice and approval of the GSI’s department, or through the GSI Teaching and Resource Center. GSIs who fail to pass the 300-level course must retake and pass the course before they are eligible to teach again.

Faculty using GSIs should be provided with a copy of the revised Graduate Council Policy on Appointments and Mentoring of GSIs, along with specific departmental guidelines, at the beginning of each semester they teach courses with GSI’s. A copy of the Graduate Council Policy on Appointments and Mentoring of GSI’s or the URL where it can be located, along with specific department guidelines, should be included in each GSI letter of appointment.

When seeking employment as a GSI, it is a good idea to talk to the instructor in charge of the course to which you want to be assigned. He or she can recommend your appointment to the Payroll Assistant who coordinates GSI appointments.

Listed below is general information on GSI appointments, but you will need to check with the GSI Teaching and Resource Center for details, as that office determines eligibility and will have the latest eligibility requirements. It is your responsibility to obtain the most updated information from the GSI Teaching and Resource Center .

Minimum Requirements

To be a GSI, you must be registered and carry a minimum load of twelve units, have an overall GPA of at least 3.1, have no more than two Incomplete (“I”) grades, and be making satisfactory progress toward your degree goal.

Required Course in Teaching

AS&T does not offer a requisite 300 series teaching course. However, you will need to meet the requirements set by the Graduate Council (see NOTE above), as well as any re-quirements determined by the instructor’s home department. Also, international students are required to pass the speak test, or the OPT exam if they fail the SPEAK test.

Test of Spoken English

All prospective GSI’s who do not speak English as a native language must pass a test of their proficiency in spoken English before they can be appointed to GSI positions. Ex-empted from this policy are those who hold a B.A., B.S., or other bachelor’s level degree from an institution in the United States. The policy applies to all prospective GSI’s, whatever their citizenship, country of origin, or residency status, and whatever subject they will be teaching.

You can take the Test of Spoken English (TSE) before you come to the U.S. The TSE is administered by the Educational Testing Service (the same people who bring you the GRE and the TOEFL), and you will have to pay a fee to take this exam. Be sure to have your test score reported to UC Berkeley.
Once you arrive in Berkeley, you can take the free SPEAK test. This examination re-quires that your answers to written questions be recorded and evaluated. If your score is above 50 out of a possible 300, you can be hired as a GSI. If your score is between 40 and 45, you can take a second test with a panel of examiners listening to and evaluating your level of proficiency. If your score on the SPEAK test is below 40, you won’t be able to be hired as a GSI until you take steps to improve your ability to speak English. Please refer to the Graduate Council Policy on Appointments and Mentoring of GSI’s for all re-quirements . For students struggling with English, there are many excellent courses de-signed to help you improve your written and verbal use of English. Please check the GSI website < http://gsi.berkeley.edu/lpp/courses.html > or with your Student Services Advi-sor regarding classes available to improve your English language skills.

Fees for GSIs

Students are strongly advised to check the fee payment policies of the department for which they plan to be GSIs. Some departments do not pay Non-Resident Tuition of stu-dents who are not students of their home department. Some departments may be eligible to receive “Fee Remissions” if students are appointed to a 25% time or greater GSI posi-tion. You must consult with your Faculty Research Advisor if you plan to take a GSI po-sition because it may affect the timing of your research progress. Any unpaid balance of the registration fees (which are subject to change without prior warning), must be paid by the student each semester. ALWAYS CONSULT WITH YOUR PAYROLL OFFICE FOR UPDATED INFORMATION REGARDING FEE REMISSIONS.

Salary

Your salary as a GSI is based on the payroll scale paid to students in the department for which you are working. Sometimes it is higher than your GSR stipend, and sometimes lower, and it is advised that you speak to the financial coordinators in your instructor’s home department for more information. Many times, compensation can be made so that a salary loss is not suffered. This is, however, at the discretion of your faculty research advisor. Faculty are strongly encouraged to supplement any salary shortfalls of their re-search students who are serving as GSIs. However, only certain types of unrestricted funds may be used for such augmentation.

Summer Session Appointments

A limited number of teaching appointments are available for the Summer Session. Interested students should contact the Scheduling Assistant to locate the instructors in charge of summer courses and submit an application to the Payroll Assistant.

Readership Positions

Readers are appointed each semester to grade problem sets in a number of courses. Readers are registered students with a minimum overall grade point average of 3.0, and a grade of B or higher in the course for which they’re appointed or in an equivalent course. Since June 2000, Reader appointments have been covered by a collective bargaining agreement with the United Automobile Workers (UAW) and are subject to change. The full text of the contract can be found on the Labor Relations website.

The number of hours per week allowed for a given course is determined by the number of units and the enrollment. If the enrollment in a course diminishes through students drop-ping it, the allocation is reduced. Students may read for more than one course or more than one section of a course, to a maximum of 20 hours per week. If a student is employed in another capacity (e.g., as a GSI or GSR) for less than 20 hours per week, this time may be supplemented by employment as a reader so long as the total number of hours per week does not exceed 20. Please refer to the Graduate Division website for all requirements.

Students interested in becoming readers should contact the instructor of the course for which they wish to read.

Graduate Student Researcher (GSR) Positions

At Berkeley, research assistants are given the title of Graduate Student Researcher (GSR). A large number of AS&T students are employed as GSRs in their faculty re-search advisor’s laboratory. There is no formal application procedure; appointments are almost always made by individual faculty members who hold research grants. It is up to the student to contact faculty members and to discuss funding possibilities. Participation in projects or seminars is usually helpful in securing an appointment. It is also helpful (but not required) to have demonstrated some research skill or creativity.

A Graduate Student Researcher (GSR) is a graduate student in the University who is en-gaged in or assisting in research projects and whose appointment, alone or in combination with other University appointments, may not exceed 20 hours per week during the academic year. A GSR may, however, be appointed up to full time (40 hours/wk) during the summer. The appointment is usually for one academic year or less, and reappointment is not automatic. There are no specific eligibility requirements regarding level of skills or previous experience, which permits departments and organized research units to make GSR appointments at levels appropriate to resources and recruitment needs.
Registration and Enrollment Requirements

All students appointed as GSRs are required to be registered by the end of the third week of classes, and must be enrolled for at least 12 units in the 100, 200, 300, or 400 series. You may substitute units in the 600 series for 200-level units when appropriate; you may also substitute lower division units taken to prepare for departmental requirements (e.g., for requirements in languages, mathematics, or statistics) for 100-level units.
GSR Salaries

AS&T students are paid at the same rate paid to students in your research advisor’s home department, and salaries are subject to range adjustments. Students generally receive the next payroll step after having passed the Qualifying Examination, and after being Advanced to Candidacy. Also, students with a Master’s degree are paid at a higher step. Please check with your research advisor’s payroll office to determine your pay scale as a GSR.
Note: Always refer to the Graduate Division Appointments website for details regarding appointments as a GSI, GSR, Reader, or Tutor.

Supplementation of Fellowships

As of August 17, 1999, in the case of any fellowship, whether external or granted by the AS&T Department, a faculty member may, at his/her discretion, offer up to a 25% time GSR supplement unless otherwise stipulated by a particular fellowship program. Contact your research advisor.

Supplementation of fellowships may also be achieved another way. Your research advisor’s home department may allow fellowship recipients to secure a 25% GSI appointment per semester while on fellowship. Please check with your research advisor to see if this is possible. You should be aware that appointments above 50% time might cause you to be liable for Social Security taxes. You can check with the Graduate Division’s Appointments Office for details about your situation.
SHIP Payment

The University pays for major medical and dental insurance coverage, known as SHIP, for students who are employed 25% time or more as a GSI, GSR, or Reader. The remission is activated when employment forms are processed, so it is to your advantage to complete these forms when your employment has been secured.
Withholding Tax
Salaries are paid monthly and are subject to Federal Withholding Tax. Check with the Graduate Division Appointments Office, 318 Sproul, for more information.

Emergency Loans

The Cal Student Central Office (120 Sproul Hall) provides short-term emergency loans to students. These loans are intended to help students meet unexpected expenses related to the cost of education. Please visit http://financialaid.berkeley.edu/short-term-emergency-loan for more information on eligibility and the process of applying.

International students may apply for short-term loans through the Berkeley International office, which must be repaid by the end of the semester.